


Like One of Those Kissing in the Rain Scenes

by thefirstneonphoenix



Category: Teen Titans - All Media Types
Genre: Christmas Shopping, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Titans Shenanigans, dick is in denial for most of this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 10:27:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28652001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thefirstneonphoenix/pseuds/thefirstneonphoenix
Summary: Dick and Joey go shopping for Christmas decorations for the tower. There's a dash of chaos, and a smidge of pining.
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Joseph Wilson
Comments: 9
Kudos: 22





	Like One of Those Kissing in the Rain Scenes

**Author's Note:**

> I started this two months ago but didn't actually write it until today.

Celebrating Christmas together at the Tower had been Lilith's idea. That alone should have tipped Dick off to the headache that it would inevitably cause him. But he had decided a long time ago that optimism was the best strategy to cope with life. The Titans, being the team to end all teams, had strategized beforehand to develop a division of labor. Dick and Joey were shopping for general Christmas decorations, because Joey had the best color coordination sense and Dick was the member primarily responsible for their collective financials. Garth had gone with Donna and Roy to get a tree, while Wally and Gar were helping Victor shop for groceries. The rest of the team was spread out through the shopping center, theoretically shopping for gifts. Probably causing problems. Hopefully none that would become his problems. At least not until they got back to the tower.

For now, he would endeavor to enjoy spending more time with Joey, one of the newest members of the Titans.

If he were being honest with himself, there wasn’t actually a real reason that he needed to go specifically with Joey, instead of one of the others. In fact, it was pretty illogical for him to be there at all. Between being raised in a circus and the manor, Dick’s sense of interior design left something to be desired, and most of his exposure to Christmas décor was at various charity functions Bruce had dragged him along to. But he had seen an excuse to learn more about Joey, and jumped on it.

Dick was trying to figure out why anyone would buy neon tinsel, and debating if he wanted some for himself when he felt Joey tap him on the shoulder.

“I’m thinking we should avoid breakable ornaments.” 

Dick grimaced at the thought.

The corner of Joey’s lip twitched up and he continued signing, “They have these felt ornament things we can hang on it. Designed for children.”

“Ah. So perfect for the Titans.”

“Yes.”

They shared a smile.

Dick looked up at him for what might have been a moment too long, but there was something about his eyes that was just so captivating. It probably had something to do with his powers, especially with how vivid they were. Neither of his parents had such vivid eyes.

Eventually Joey turned back to browsing the shelves, examining garlands this time. So far the only information Dick had managed to gather on him was that Joey probably didn’t have any close friendships with people his age before joining the Titans. Excitement seemed to thrum through his posture at the idea of being included in any sort of group activity, no matter how mundane. Or maybe Joey was just like that. It wouldn’t surprise Dick. He seemed like the type of person who looked for joy in every moment of life. He hadn’t shared any of his artwork with the team yet, but Dick knew he painted. A few weeks after coming to live at the tower he had made bread, something that amazed the other Titans. Dick had learned then that he had a truly adorable blush, and a voice in his head that sounded like Batman warned him that it could all be a ploy to make them lower their guards. Usually Dick would have ignored it, but after Terra…

Dick wasn’t Batman, and there was too much about Joey that was warm and inviting for him to be evil. Dick hadn’t asked yet, but he had recognized the guitar calluses on Joey’s fingers. Dick used to have matching ones, before his life had spiraled beyond his grasp. 

As he watched Joey move through the aisles and examine various odds and ends, Dick sized him up. He was taller and broader than Dick, possibly stronger. Dick doubted he actually was, unless he had enhancements more similar to his father’s that he hadn’t shared with them. That didn’t mean his muscles weren’t well defined though. His curls had gotten longer since he had first come to the tower, and they now fell in his eyes.

Dick felt his cheeks grow warm and he quickly turned his gaze down into the cart, to study the pack of ornaments that Joey had picked up. They looked surprisingly high quality for their price, and the set contained a variety of candy canes, gingerbread men, miniature stockings, and some that were designed to look like bulb ornaments, with fancy detailing.

Joey tossed two spools of large, red, velvet ribbon into the cart, followed by a string of gold beads and one made of artificial greenery dotted with cranberries.

“I know we’re getting a real pine tree,” he signed, “But does anyone have issues with the smell?” 

That was a good question Dick didn’t actually know. “I don’t think anyone’s mentioned having any issue with it, but I suppose we’ll find out.” He bit his lip as he tried to remember if anyone had ever reacted to Christmas decorations in the past. “Yeah, there’s nothing I can think of. Who knows?”

“We should check when we get back.”

Just then, a loud beep played over the intercom.

“Good afternoon shoppers. This facility is currently on lockdown. Please remain where you are until the situation is resolved. The doors between store fronts will be locked until it is safe. You are not in any danger, and the situation will be resolved shortly. Thank you.”

Dick looked around. Aside from the cashier, they were the only people in the store. He made eye contact with Joey, and made his way over to her. The cashier looked up at them and immediately began reassuring them.

“There are a number of reasons for us to go on lockdown that do not involve active shooters or bomb threats. Some of them include medical emergencies or small, localized fires. In these situations we try to keep people out of the pathways so that emergency responders can get through. No, I do not know why we are currently on lockdown. If you want to check out now, I can do so. If not, feel free to keep browsing.”

They probably weren’t getting anywhere anytime soon, especially since she would definitely notice if they left. That in mind, Dick returned to Joey.

Joey was already holding out his phone by the time Dick reached the cart. There were messages from the Titans pulled up on it.

mrRoboto: Some guy trying to rob the jewelry store

mrRoboto: Looks like a hostage situation

mrRoboto: We have it under control

mrRoboto: He’s making bomb threats though

mrRoboto: I’m pretty sure it’s all bluster though

mrRoboto: Wally’s checking

“Hm.” At least the Titans didn’t  _ cause _ the problem this time. “I guess we just keep shopping then?”

Joey shrugged at him, then abruptly stood up straight. “ _ Stockings. _ ”

“Stockings? What about them?”

“They have  _ stockings  _ designed for being  _ decorated.” _ He pointed to a corner behind Dick, where, sure enough, there were plain stockings of varying Holiday colors stacked next to a rack of supplies to bedazzle them with. He suddenly got what Joey was getting at.

“We could get one for each of the Titans. And then we could all decorate our own stockings. Or- _ or _ we could decorate  _ each other’s  _ stockings. Joey, I could kiss you. That’s brilliant. Where are we putting them? We can install a mantle. It would need to be a really long mantle though. What if we used the stair rail? Do you think they would get knocked off? Enough of us can fly that we could probably hang them anywhere we wanted…” Dick trailed off, blushing. The way Joey was looking at him… if he didn’t know any better, he’d call the expression  _ fond _ . For some reason it made him feel like his lungs had been inflated with helium, as if he was going to fly away at a moment's notice.

They spent at least fifteen minutes collecting supplies for the stockings. Once that was done, and Joey had decided that they had gathered everything they needed, Dick took the cart to check out.

All items paid for and subsequently bagged, they tried to leave. The doors were still locked. Dick turned to Joey. 

“I would think the situation would have been handled by now. Any updates from the Titans?”

Joey checked his phone. “None.”

“Huh. Well then. We could-”

Before Dick could suggest anything, the lights went out.

“That was ominous. You don’t suppose it has anything to do with the situation? Although it really shouldn’t be taking this long.”

Joey met his eyes and shook his head. “When are things ever that simple?”

“You have a point.”

An alarm sounded. Then, as though someone was listening, the sprinklers went off. Dick was glad all of their things had been wrapped in plastic, although even that might not be enough to save them. Water poured down on everything in harsh torrents. 

“I hate my job so much,” the cashier muttered. Then, louder, “If you push hard enough on the door, it should emergency release.”

Joey tried pushing on the door. It did not release.

“It’s not releasing,” Dick informed her.

“Then I guess we’re stuck here. Happy Holidays.”

Dick had a thought and glanced up at Joey, who was staring at the cashier with a deeply concerned expression. He clearly had never worked in retail. Well, at least there was one thing Dick had learned about him on this trip.

“You know.” He started. “This seems like the kind of thing that would take place in a Romcom.”

Joey raised an eyebrow, and Dick continued. “It would be a scene making fun of all those ‘kissing in the rain’ scenes. Except the love interests would end up making out under a bunch of fire sprinklers, while dramatic music swelled and the building burned down around them.”

Joey let out a huff of laughter at that. Dick grinned and continued.

“Maybe we’re side characters, and the love interests are somewhere in the building right now.”

“Maybe we’re the love interests,” Joey signed.

Dick felt his throat dry at the thought. He paused. “Maybe we are.”

Joey looked down at him for a long moment. His eyes were such a deep green. Somehow they were a million different shades of it at once. It was like looking into a rainforest. Dick couldn’t help but wonder at it, and at how anyone could ever find it in themselves to look away from them.

He traced the path of a water droplet as it ran down Joey’s face. He caught Joey’s hands moving out of the corner of his eye, but missed what he actually signed. He suddenly realized how close they were standing and quickly backed up.

“Um. Can you repeat that? I wasn’t paying attention. Sorry.”

Joey gave him a look, but complied. “Are you ok? You seem a bit out of it.”

“Just distracted. That’s all.” 

And because Dick is unable to quit while he’s ahead, “You have really pretty eyes, you know. Very green. I’m sure you know that.”

Joey’s eyebrows went up and he might have blushed, but Dick couldn’t quite tell. The water was really affecting his visibility, despite how close they were. Joey lifted his hand, but just as he did so, ozone filled the air.

“Hey guys.”

It was Wally. 

“Good to see you’ve already checked out.” He continued. “We can go now.”

The cashier left through the now open doors, and the sprinklers finally shut off. Dick took the chance for a distraction.

“Wally,” Dick started slowly, “What the hell just happened.”

“Y’know. It’s a funny story actually. Raven’s currently doing damage control, but once we’re all back at the tower, I’m sure we’ll have a perfectly reasonable explanation for all of it.”

“I look forward to hearing it.”

“I swear this wasn’t our fault, some people are just really, really, stupid sometimes.”

“I’ll believe that when I have a reasonable explanation for what just happened.”

“And you’ll get it! We just need a chance to get our story straight.”

“That’s not very promising, you know.”

“Yeah, well…” Something in the cart caught his eye, “Hey did you get stockings for us?”

Joey nodded and started showing him the boxes of glitter glue and other supplies they had gotten as well, for decorating them. As Dick watched them excitedly discuss the decorations, he was struck by the realization that he might be developing a little bit of a crush. Just a small one. Nothing that would become a problem. Probably.


End file.
